Device for cutting stacked sheets of paper and the like



Nov. 22. 1955 M. A. SEWARD 2,724,181

DEVICE FOR CUTTING STACKED SHEETS OF PAPER AND THE LIKE Filed Oct. 17, 1952 INF/)WOR. MUNSOM W. 51 5 WHRD @MV/XMM United States Patent DEVICE FOR CUTTING S TACKED SHEETS OF PAPER AND THE LIKE Munson A. Seward, Warren, Ohio Application October 17, 1952, Serial No. 315,231 Claims. (11. 30-305 sever a stack of paper and the like quickly and accurately.

This need has been most acute in offices and other places where the amount of cutting to be done does not warrant the expensive shearing apparatus employed in printing shops. in the past, these offices have employed a cutting device comprising a support having a knife blade pivoted thereto and movable relative to anfedge thereof. However, this prior art device has not beensatisfactory because it is relatively expensive an d because itcan sever only a few sheets at a time.

\ My invention provides a cutting device that is inexpensive, that will sever a relatively-thick stack of paper and the like cleanly and accurately, and a device that may be re-sharpened, when necessary,bydnexperienced persons. l i

a study of the following description and from the drawing appended hereto.

In the drawing accompanying this specification and forming a part of this application there is shown, for purpose of illustration, an embodiment which my invention may assume, and in this drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of my cutting device,

Figure 2 is a sectional view generally corresponding to the line 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the invention,

Figure 4 is a sectional view generally corresponding to the line 4-4 of Figure l and illustrating the use of my device incutting a stack of paper, and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view similar to Figure 4 and further illustrating cutting action.

As shown in the drawings, my invention comprises a knife holder 10 having a blade portion 11 secured thereto. The knife holder 10 is presently formed of sheet metal to provide a generally fiat guard portion 12, a rounded handle portion 13, and a generally flat blade supporting portion 14. As shown, the plane of the blade supporting portion 14 is disposed at an acute angle to the plane of the guard portion 12, and the portion 14 is bent to provide a foot 15 which lies against the guard 12 and is presently secured thereto by spot welds 16. Slots 17 are formed in the edge 18 of theguard 12, and the slots extend inwardly of the edge 18 and through the foot 15 for a purpose to be shown.

The knife portion 11 is preferably formed of a plurality of tubular members 19 secured in spaced-apart relation to a connecting bar'20 by any suitable means. Each member 19 is formed as shown to provide a rounded cutting edge 19a, and theknife portion 11 is adapted to be se cured to the support portion 14 by means of screws 21 These and other advantages apparent from which pass through slots 22 in the portion 14 and are threadably anchored in the bar 20. V

The knife portion 11 is adapted to be secured to the portion 14 so that the members 19 pass through the slots 17 with the face of the cutting edges 19a flush with the guard portion 12 (see Figures4 and 5). In this position, the cutting edges 19a project slightly beyond the edge 18 of the guard 12 (see Figure 1) for a purpose to be described.

While the members 19 are herein shown to have a rounded tubular form, it is to be understood that they could be solid in cross-section. Furthermore, itmight also be found desirable to form the members 19 from square, triangular or other shaped stock depending upon the desired shape of the cutting edge.

Figure 4 illustrates the use of my invention in cutting a stack of paper 23 and, asshown, my device is adapted to be guided by means of a straight edge 24. If desired, my cutting device may be employed with the apparatus disclosed in my copending application for Letters Patent, Serial Number 258,637. In any event, the present embodiment is adapted to be grasped bythe handle 13 and reciprocated back and forth across the stack of paper during cutting operations.

As will be clear, the rounded cutting edges of the members 19 will cut in either direction of reciprocation without exhibiting a tendency to stick and tear the paper. Additionally, since the cutting edges project but slightly beyond the edge 18 of the guard 12, the guard effectively controls penetration of the knife edges into the, paper and limits the amount of bite that the knife "edges may take.

As shown in Figure 5, as the sheets are successively severed by the reciprocation of my device, the cut sheets 25 will be moved awayfrom the remainder of the stack by the members 19; As successivesheetsare severed and moved away from the stack, the edge 18 of guard 12 will continually follow in the cut made by the knife means and thus limit the penetration of the cutting edges into the uncut sheets. As indicated in Figures 1 and 3, the

edge 18 may be beveled, as shown, to assist in moving the cut sheets 25 away from the remainder of the stack.

After a period of use, the cutting edges 19a of the members 19 will become dulled and sharpening will be required. This is easily accompished by loosening the screws 21 (apertures 26 in the portion 12 permitting access thereto) and by shifting the bar 20 until the members 19 extend slightly beyond the guard 12. The screws 21, may then be retightened, and with the members 19 in the dotted position shown in Figure 2, the device may be positioned with the flat side of the portion 12 on a flat abrasive surface.

The devicemay then be rubbed back and forth upon the abrasive surface until the members 19 are once again flush with the plane of the guard portion 12. This sharpens the cutting edges 19a at the correct angle and also maintains the correct projection of the cutting edges beyond the edge 18. Clearly, this operation is sufficiently simple and fool-proof so that it may be performed easily and quickly by ordinary oflice workers even though they are unskilled in the art of sharpening.

In view of the foregoing it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that I have accomplished at least the principal object of my invention and it will also be apparent to those skilled in the art that the embodiment herein described may be variously changed and modified, without departing from the spirit of the invention, and that the invention is capable of uses and has advantages not herein specifically described, hence it will be appreciated that the herein disclosed embodiment is illustrative only, and that my invention is not limited thereto.

I said cutting member being carried Iclaim:

comprising the mb nati n f a v 1. A. cutting device,

' holder having a side surface terminating in an elongated guide for a sharpening device so that the projecting oblique end surface may be trimmed back tocoincidental relati us ip wi h said s de surf ce,-

1 2- Ac t ns devic c mpri ing the combina i n of a ho r h vi g a side surface terminat g in a knife-gua edge and a cylindrical .cutt-ing member having an end surface oblique to its longitudinal axis and carried by said holder at an angle to said side surface with its longitudinal axis intersecting the latter and its end surface generally coincidental to said side surface, the terminal portion of said end surface providing ,a pointed cutting edge jutting slightly transversely beyond said guard edge.

,3. A cutting device, comprising the combination of a holder having a flat side surface terminating in a knifeguard edge and anopposite side surface inclining toward said fiat side surface at an acute angle, and an elongated cutting member having .an end surface oblique to its longitudinal axis to provide a sharp te inal cutting edge, by said opposite side surface with its longitudinal axis intersecting said .fiat side surface and its oblique end surface normally coincidental with said flat side surface, said terminal cutting edge providing a small cutting projection jutting transversely beyond said guard edge.

4. A cutting device, comprising the combination of a 'holder having a side surface terminating in an elongated knife-guard edge, and a plurality of parallel elongated cutting members each having an end surface oblique to its longitudinal axis and each being carried by said holder at an angle to said side surface with the longitudinal axis of each cutting member intersecting said side surface and the end surface of each member generally coincidental with said side surface, the terminal portion of each of said cutting members providing a sharp cutting edge projecting beyond said knife-guard edge.

5. A device for severing stacked sheets of material of generally consistent thickness and adapted to be reciprocated across succeeding ones of said stacked sheets, comprising a holder having generally plane side surfaces inclined to each other and intersecting to form a straight edge, a knife carried by said holder and having a bevelled cutting edge jutting transversely beyond said straight edge intermediate the length of the latter, whereby portions of said straight edge extend from opposite sides of said cutting edge for sliding engagement with the top unsevered sheet to hold the latter against buckling during the cuting op a ion and to limit pen tra ion o sa d utting cas one u a e of sa d elled c t ing ed e being s pl nar with an in in d sid u f ce of s i ol er o pro ide for a st aigh d n ard ut th u h aid s k sheets of material and the opposite inclined sidesurface of said holder being engageable with the one severed edge portion of an uppermost sheet to cam such severed edge portion away to clear said straight edge for sliding and holding engagement with a lower unsevered sheet of material.

References Cited in the file of this vPatent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

